With no accumulation expected and snow showers in the forecast we got a solid inch. No big deal just that we usually get less than expected. An inch won't hurt us either way. February's parting shot and my son-in-law's birthday every 4 years. :-)

I wasn't paying much attention to the forecast, so don't know if this was expected or not, but it was snowing when I woke up, and has been snowing since. We probably got about 12". We haven't gotten much this year, so not the worst thing. It's -2C though, so it's pretty heavy shoveling.

Has anyone ever heard a Lotus Evora driving around? I've seen one running around Charlotte a few times this month (saw it again today). It has probably had some exhaust work done, but I am dead serious when I say that it's one of the best-sounding cars I've ever heard in my life. How in the hell is that engine from a Camry??? It's almost impossible to put into words how glorious it sounds.

I believe it's s/c in the Evora and plus sporty sounding engine doesn't quite go well with Camry's intended role. I saw a 2019/2020 Camry yesterday with 4 exhaust pipe coming out the back.

The S was supercharged, but the base Evora was naturally aspirated. (Both have since been replaced by the 400, which has been replaced by the GT, and those are both supercharged as well). It honestly sounded better than anything I've ever heard, with the possible exceptions of a GT3RS and Aventador SV.

I think the V6-powered Camrys have four exhaust pipes. The current XSE honestly looks pretty decent, shame it's not available with a stick though (not that they'd sell more than about four a year in that configuration, lol).

One of the sideroads I go down on my way to work got filled in with blown snow yesterday. It was fine when we came through at midnight Saturday after the wedding in Toronto. Anyway, once in, there's no turning back, and I ended up hung up in a drift with the SC. A fella came along shortly from the other direction in a pickup hauling a livestock trailer. He said the spot I was at is the only one on the road. If I'd made it another 100' I'd have been past it. Anyway, I got my carpool buddy to sit in the driver's seat (he's vastly overweight - didn't want him to have a heart attack) and the two of us managed to push the car in reverse back along its own tracks until clear of the drift.

I've got Tylenol Back that has some anti-inflammatory ingredient, but I'm kind of guessing it's like Duff beer: comes out of one vat into three or four different bottles. I used to have some prescription stuff from the doctor, but I found I could only take it Friday night or Saturday, as it would completely wipe me out for the next 24 hours. I'll maybe try Advil instead.

My scoliosis is not helping the issue, for sure. The pain is actually more above my right hip bone than on my spine. I have an idea my body has been compensating for being bent for 40 years, and is finally telling me to stop doing stupid crap. Oh well.

Strangely enough, the most comfortable seat I have is behind the wheel of the SC. Guess I'll go for a drive when my back is acting up. But not through a foot of compacted snow!

I've got Tylenol Back that has some anti-inflammatory ingredient, but I'm kind of guessing it's like Duff beer: comes out of one vat into three or four different bottles. I used to have some prescription stuff from the doctor, but I found I could only take it Friday night or Saturday, as it would completely wipe me out for the next 24 hours. I'll maybe try Advil instead.

My scoliosis is not helping the issue, for sure. The pain is actually more above my right hip bone than on my spine. I have an idea my body has been compensating for being bent for 40 years, and is finally telling me to stop doing stupid crap. Oh well.

Strangely enough, the most comfortable seat I have is behind the wheel of the SC. Guess I'll go for a drive when my back is acting up. But not through a foot of compacted snow!

Go with Naproxen instead. It's what my doctor friends call "Super Motrin" and you only have to take it twice a day.

My back is well beyond OTC meds, but there are some decent non-narcotic meds out there, too, that most docs won't mind prescribing, like a COX-2 inhibitor (Celebrex) and--maybe--Neurontin (an anti-epileptic drug that reduces pain when other options don't provide relief.

On the non-pill side, Ben Gay or the like can help, along with a heating pad and--depending on the site of the injury, an immobilizer (back brace) you can velcro on like a girdle can keep you steady and unable to bend where you hurt.

Overall, sympathies. But--not to be "that guy"--you could've had a face full of livestock truck, so... medium-gray lining?

[You should seek the advice of a better-trained health professional than an EMT/son of a nurse. But you get what you pay for...]

I'll have to look up this Naproxen stuff - is it non-prescription? Celebrex is what my wife takes for her rheumatoid arthritis. I'd rather hold-off on something like that if I can avoid it.

I talked to the doc yesterday, actually, about x-rays I had done a couple of weeks ago. He says there are some bone spurs that are causing the pain. No surgical solution, but he wants me to contact a physiotherapist and see if I can get some relief there. Damn - I wanted all the opioids!

I'll have to look up this Naproxen stuff - is it non-prescription? Celebrex is what my wife takes for her rheumatoid arthritis. I'd rather hold-off on something like that if I can avoid it.

I talked to the doc yesterday, actually, about x-rays I had done a couple of weeks ago. He says there are some bone spurs that are causing the pain. No surgical solution, but he wants me to contact a physiotherapist and see if I can get some relief there. Damn - I wanted all the opioids!

Naproxen is available without prescription in the States. I don't know about Canada. Unless you're REALLY hammered by the pain, it should do the job for you.

My wife took Aleve years ago. It would spike her blood pressure by about 60 points for hours. Through that stuff in the trash and she hasn't had blood pressure problems since. Don't know how common that problem is.

My wife took Aleve years ago. It would spike her blood pressure by about 60 points for hours. Through that stuff in the trash and she hasn't had blood pressure problems since. Don't know how common that problem is.

Did hear mention of the surreal site of Koenigsegg finishing their stand as all other manufacturers were disassembling theirs.

Abstractly decades ago had a Burger King voice over session at a studio on the day the agency lost the Burger King account. It was the largest account they had and when I walked in all the creative people were on phones discovering how many of their co-workers had already been fired... " Larry's gone!!!... Charlie too! What about Joan?! Nooooo!!! Charlie just bought that house and Jim and Laura just had a baby!"

They were consumed in panic survival mode. The engineer handed me the copy and I went into the booth and laid down a few self directed takes. The director put the phone down long enough to give me one perfunctory direction so i did another take and he said, "That'll work... Thanks Pat". And we were done.

The surreal part was every recording session I had evert been to had been populated with creative people whose jobs depended on collaborating to create a performance that served their vision of the job. In this case their professional lives were turning upside down in real time and this job was now an obstacle to handling the professional disaster unfolding around them.

Speaking of Koenigsegg, anyone watch the documentary about hypercars on Netflix? He is the only one of the bunch that I'd like to go have a beer with. Seems really grounded.

He's obsessed with weight. He makes his own brake calipers because those silly Brembo guys make brakes so they can be used left or right side. Christian saves a few grams by making each caliper specific to a corner.

That would explain the Supercar Blondie video of his newest car, the Gemera. Sweet car. Throughout the video, you could hear all sorts of noises going on around them. That had to be other manufacturers taking down their displays.

Any break-in requirements or does Ford perform the bench break-in like Porsche does with their 911 engines.

With my GT500 there were no specific requirements beyond don't push it too hard the first 500 miles. The ecu pretty much took care of that as nothing close to full power was allowed until 500 miles were recorded.

Saw that zinc lozenges, like Coldeze, may be of use with coronavirus... "These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY "cold-like" symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat."

Not sure about Coldeze but Zicam is the zinc lozenge I've used many times and has that same MO. As soon as you feel something coming on start dissolving the zinc lozenge in the back of your throat. Did that while out West when I first felt the cold coming on and it definitely reduced the impact and kept me functional all week.

There are a number of different less serious Coronavirus strains that aren't the Covid-19 strain the world is currently trying to get out in front of. So it's possible Zicam or Coldeze could impact them but not Covid-19. And I'm definitely not a doctor and just reading news reports like everyone else.

Not sure about Coldeze but Zicam is the zinc lozenge I've used many times and has that same MO. As soon as you feel something coming on start dissolving the zinc lozenge in the back of your throat. Did that while out West when I first felt the cold coming on and it definitely reduced the impact and kept me functional all week.

There are a number of different less serious Coronavirus strains that aren't the Covid-19 strain the world is currently trying to get out in front of. So it's possible Zicam or Coldeze could impact them but not Covid-19. And I'm definitely not a doctor and just reading news reports like everyone else.

It's possible Zicam or Coldeze could impact them but not Covid-19. And I'm definitely not a doctor and just reading news reports like everyone else.

:-)

More from noted pathologist James Robb...

"In my experience as a virologist and pathologist, zinc will inhibit the replication of many viruses, including coronaviruses. I expect COVID-19 [the disease caused by the novel coronavirus] will be inhibited similarly, but I have no direct experimental support for this claim. I must add, however, that using zinc lozenges as directed by the manufacturer is no guarantee against being infected by the virus, even if it inhibits the viral replication in the nasopharynx."

"In my experience as a virologist and pathologist, zinc will inhibit the replication of many viruses, including coronaviruses. I expect COVID-19 [the disease caused by the novel coronavirus] will be inhibited similarly, but I have no direct experimental support for this claim. I must add, however, that using zinc lozenges as directed by the manufacturer is no guarantee against being infected by the virus, even if it inhibits the viral replication in the nasopharynx."

Think I'm gonna stock up on lozenges... Can't hurt. :)

Exactly... Me too... Always keep Zicam handy at home and when traveling to start right away if I feel something coming on because that's the secret of its success. Once it overtakes you the zinc is less effective.